50716 research outputs found
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Applications of schema therapy in young people:a systematic review
No full textAdolescents and young adults are increasingly susceptible to developing mental health conditions, but many young people do not respond well to the current evidence-based treatments. Schema therapy has been effective in adults with mental health conditions, and research suggests it holds promise in adolescents with chronic or treatment-resistant mental health conditions. Our systematic review searched for articles that applied schema therapy in people aged between 12 and 30. Databases searched using the EBSCOHost platform included PubMed MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection and American Psychological Association PsychInfo. Web of Science and the Cochrane Library was also searched. The quality of each article was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Twelve studies including 180 participants were found meeting these criteria. These results provided preliminary support for the use of schema therapy in adolescents and young adults experiencing a wide range of mental health conditions including personality, conduct, anxiety, depressive or eating disorders. Our systematic review supports previous research on schema therapy, finding that it could be a promising treatment for young people. The present systematic review identifies directions for future research and provides guidance for clinicians providing schema therapy in this population.</p
Bouncing Back or Forward? Two Approaches to Democratic Resilience After Extremist Attacks
No full textViolent extremist attacks pose a serious threat to democracy, undermining its institutions, norms and practices. This article examines the disruptive impact of violent extremism on the public sphere and considers the role of political leaders in responding to these challenges. Leaders are widely recognised as the key actors shaping the public discourse after extremist attacks, by either reinforcing or resisting the division intended by these attacks. Yet, their role in building democratic resilience – that is, fostering the public sphere’s ability to respond to extremist attacks without compromising its democratic commitments – remains underexplored. Drawing on a range of case studies, the article examines the spectrum of leaders’ responses to violent extremist attacks and their effects on democratic resilience. It identifes two distinct approaches to democratic resilience: ‘bouncing back’ by maintaining the status quo, or ‘bouncing forward’ by deepening democratic commitments. The article considers the implications of each approach and underscores the necessity of the latter in strengthening the public sphere and its deliberative capacity in the aftermath of extremist attacks.</p
Subsisting on boiled rice and pulse:understanding histories of famine, feast and migrant health, through the lens of Girmit-descendants*
No full textThe repercussions of historical famines continue to impact on the health and wellbeing of ethnic minority groups in Aotearoa today, particularly for populations with histories of Girmit (indenture), such as Indo-Fijians. This paper provides critical insights on how decades of intergenerational famine exposure and colonial dietary conditions during the Girmit continue to influence the health outcomes of descendants even now, when the threat of famine is removed. We present original archival research to analyse the extent of mortality associated with nutritional deficits and draw attention to the caloric deficits experienced by developing babies in the womb and the related high mortality during early infancy, throughout the Girmit era. We contextualise the lasting health impacts through a literature review of the intergenerational health impacts of famines from across the globe. We argue that evolving perspectives of migrant health disparities must also consider the intersections of history, colonisation, intergenerational famine and culture, in health interventions for current generations and we advocate for novel approaches in addressing health inequities for ethnic communities.</p
Ankle Somatosensation and Lower-Limb Neuromuscular Function on a Lunar Gravity Analogue
No full textBackground/Objectives: The adverse effects of low gravity on human physiology are well documented; however, much of the literature is directed at changes which occur in microgravity (µg: weightlessness) with relatively less documented on changes in hypogravity (<1 g; >µg: gravity less than Earth’s but more than microgravity). Somatosensation and neuromuscular control may be of particular importance for astronauts as they prepare for future missions to walk on the Moon. This study aimed to explore the effect of reduced weight bearing (to simulate conditions of hypogravity) on ankle somatosensation, lower-limb muscle activity, tone, and stiffness, compared to full weight bearing. Methods: Participants completed an ankle somatosensory acuity task (active movement extent discrimination assessment [AMEDA]) in two body positions: (1) upright standing (1 g), and (2) in a head-elevated supine, semi-weight bearing (0.16 g) position using a custom-built inclined “wedge bed”. The second position induced ~16% body weight on to the plantar aspect of the feet, simulating that of lunar gravity. We compared the AMEDA scores between the two positions. Lower-limb muscle activity was recorded via surface EMG throughout the AMEDA task for both positions. The ankle AMEDA has five depths of ankle inversion. We compared muscle activity between the body positions, and muscle activity between inversion depths “1” and “5” (within each position). Lower-limb muscle tone and muscle stiffness were assessed at rest in both body positions using the MyotonPRO. Results: Fifty-five participants between the ages of 18 and 65 (28 females, 27 males; mean age of 40 years) completed the study. The AMEDA scores, muscle tone and stiffness were reduced when the participants were on the lunar wedge bed, compared to upright standing (p = 0.002; p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Some lower-limb muscles exhibited less activity in the lunar wedge-bed position compared to upright standing (tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris; p < 0.05) but others were unchanged (gastrocnemius, vastus medialis; p > 0.05). Muscle activity was unchanged between the AMEDA depths (p = 0.188). Conclusions: The results provide insight into how the somatosensory and neuromuscular systems respond to reduced weight bearing and potentially lunar gravity conditions, thereby informing how to target interventions for future missions.</p
Evolution of ZW Sex Chromosomes in Ptyas Snakes (Reptilia, Colubridae):New Insights from a Molecular Cytogenetic Perspective
No full textSnakes are cytogenetically dynamic, characterized by largely conserved diploid chromosome numbers although displaying varied variable evolutionary stages of their sex chromosomes. This study examined four snakes, with a special focus on the genus Ptyas, to provide evolutionary insights into the evolution of ZW sex chromosomes. We performed an extensive karyotype characterization using conventional and molecular cytogenetic approaches, described for the first time the karyotype of Ptyas korros, and revisited the karyotype descriptions of P. mucosa, Chrysopelea ornata, and Fowlea flavipunctatus. We found that all species except F. flavipunctatus have highly heterochromatic W chromosomes enriched in satDNAs or microsatellite repeats. Repetitive sequences accumulate with the heterochromatinization of the W chromosome but are not necessarily associated with this process, demonstrating the dynamic makeup of snake sex chromosomes. Autosomal locus-specific and sex chromosome probes from Pogona vitticeps and Varanus acanthurus did not show hybridization signals in Ptyas snakes, suggesting divergent evolutionary pathways. This finding highlighted the dynamic nature of sex chromosome evolution in snakes, which occurred independently in lizards.</p
Leveraging Artificial intelligence technology for mapping publications to Sustainable Development Goals
No full textResearch publications addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have grown exponentially, reflecting an increasing global focus on sustainability challenges. However, linking these publications to relevant SDGs remains a time-consuming and non-trivial task due to the broad scope and interconnected nature of the goals. This study aims to improve the efficiency and accuracy of mapping publications to SDGs using automated methods. Specifically, we investigate the performance of a domain-adapted similarity measure compared to OpenAI's GPT-3.5 Turbo and GPT-4 models. Using a dataset of over 82,000 research publications from an Australian university, we apply the similarity measure to assign SDG tags and benchmark the results against outputs from the two GPT models. Our findings show that the similarity-based method achieves comparable performance, with successful classification rates of 82.89% (GPT-3.5) and 89.34% (GPT-4), respectively. The proposed approach provides a reliable, transparent, and cost-effective solution for large-scale SDG classification, particularly valuable for institutions handling sensitive data or lacking access to commercial AI tools. This work provides a practical and reliable approach to help institutions track how their research contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.</p
Activity theory as framework for analysis of workplace learning technologies:the case of generative AI conversational agents
No full textPurpose: Technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming the way we work; however, it is yet to systemically transform learning at the workplace beyond augmentation of formal education’s learning processes. This paper derives functional requirements for technologies that support workplace learning and assesses the suitability and limitations of generative AI conversational agents, as an example of application. Design/methodology/approach: Using activity theory (AT) as theoretical framework, we model workplace learning as an activity, intertwined with work and mediated by technology, and expose contradictions that arise when technology developed for formal education is adopted at work. From these tensions, we derive functional requirements and illustrate their use by comparing them to ChatGPT’s affordances. Findings: A framework is proposed for design and assessment of enabling technologies for workplace learning. In applying it to ChatGPT, as paradigm of conversational agents, we find the aspects that are particularly suitable to enhance workplace learning, and those that need further development. Originality/value: The theoretical approach is novel. Previous research is based on reported use-cases of enabling technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), in the workplace or on the analysis of the learner’s experience when these technologies are embedded in structured training modules. The present study addresses the limitations of current retrospective research, providing a forward-looking approach.</p
Co-constructing meaning through teaching personal and social responsibility:A self-study in professional development provision
No full textTeacher education faculty members are disciplinary stewards who have a responsibility for advancing their field through research, teaching, and engagement activities. Engagement can include working in schools with inservice teachers as facilitators of professional development (PD). Not all teacher educators spent time teaching in schools before assuming faculty roles, however, and those without teaching experience may feel a sense of imposter syndrome relative to engaging with practicing teachers. In this investigation, we adopt self-study of teacher education practice to examine the experiences of Kevin, a physical education teacher educator without inservice teaching experience who facilitated PD among three groups of teachers in Canberra, Australia. Teaching personal and social responsibility provided the focus of the PD. Kevin examined how engaging in the experience influenced his understanding of PD and feelings of imposter syndrome. This was done through regular reflective journaling and the support of his critical friend, John. Data were analyzed using an interpretive approach with the goal of identifying turning points in Kevin's development. Results suggested that through deep engagement with the teachers, Kevin increased his confidence and competence. Our three themes were: (a) engaging in and reflecting on PD challenged imposter syndrome; (b) prioritizing relationship building, mutual respect, and champion recognition; and (c) PD as emergent, context-specific, and needs-responsive. The main study implications include a strong reminder that as teacher educators, we need to prioritize time in schools, recognizing that building relationships with inservice teachers is central to our work.</p
